Poskay Inducted into NJ Lacrosse Hall of Fame

At the ripe old age of 28, being inducted into a Hall of Fame was the last thing on Matt Poskay’s mind. However, the former A.L. Johnson and University of Virginia lacrosse player has achieved more in a decade than some individuals attain in a lifetime.

So it’s more than fitting that Poskay has been named to the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame class of 2013. Poskay and five others inductees will be feted at a luncheon at the Mercer Oaks Country Club in Princeton Junction on Sunday.

“It’s an extreme honor,’’ Poskay said. “When you think about the lacrosse talent that has been coming out of New Jersey and the great people, to be part of something like this is an extreme honor and an extreme privilege.’’

Poskay felt it was unusual because in many ways he still has a lot to give lacrosse. As a member of the Boston Cannons in Major League Lacrosse, he is a four-time All-Star and considered one of the league’s most talented players. He is also going into his second season as the men’s lacrosse coach at Wagner College. He is a little bit surprised to be going into a Hall of Fame at this point in his career.

“It wasn’t all that long ago that I was playing in New Jersey,’’ Poskay said. “That makes it more humbling. It’s been a lot of hard work and it’s hard to look back on your career when you are still doing it. I always just worked on getting better and doing what I needed to do.’’

Poskay is amazed at the growth of the sport even since his high school days. If the 2002 Clark school graduate harbors any regrets, it is that some New Jersey high schools that didn’t have lacrosse when he was playing have recently picked it up.

“There were some schools that we played in football that would have been fun to play in lacrosse,’’ Poskay said. “Once a guy picks up a stick, he’s hooked. The sport is really picking up in numbers.’’

This is the 16th Hall of Fame class to be honored. The New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame is a joint effort between the North Jersey and South Jersey chapters of US Lacrosse, the national governing body of the sport.